Heading to elections, Tanzania banks on AI technology to address misinformation

The commemoration at the national level, which kicked off last Sunday, was concluded on Tuesday in Arusha

Speaking at a press conference in Dar es Salaam on the eve of the commemoration, Acting Director of Information Service Department, Mr Rodney Mbuya said the commemoration provided a platform for journalists to explore essential AI skills in order to upgrade their performance.

He insisted that press freedom relies on the degree to which media maintain and disseminate factual news among other set journalism standards regardless of the change in technology.

“The commemoration allows stakeholders in the media sector, international organisations and civil society organizations to discuss various issues about press freedom and challenges from emerging technology, including AI,” Mr Mbuya said.

The Theme of this year’s commemoration is “Reporting in a Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media.”

He said through discussions and presentations, journalists, media owners, among other stakeholders, were due to sharpen their perspective on leveraging AI cautiously by knowing that it generates both correct and false information.

In that regard, he said fact-checking is a key driver to producing factual news while strengthening press freedom and freedom of expression in the new era.

He said such skills will enable journalists to withstand increasing misinformation ahead of the General Elections, later in October this year.

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“It will further stand as the blueprint for policymakers to establish regulations on media and AI,” he said.

The event at the national level was co-organized by the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Jamii Afrika, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations (UN)-Tanzania at large.

 UN’s Resident Coordinator, Ms Susan Namondo, said the occasion served as a critical reminder of the responsibility of governments to uphold press freedom as a fundamental right and cornerstone of democracy.

“This is especially vital in an age where misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech threaten social cohesion and democratic values,” Ms Namondo said.

She expressed her optimism on the UN-Tanzania through UNESCO in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, and other stakeholders to conduct more training about AI to journalists, even after this year’s World Press Freedom Day.

She stressed that media professionals bear the responsibility to exercise their independence with integrity, provide accurate, balanced, and inclusive information in accordance with ethical journalism standards.

For her part, Jamii Africa’s Representative, Ms Melba Sandi, said the three-day commemoration featured digital professionals from renowned digital information institutions in East Africa, encompassing Nukta Africa and Africa Check, who shared the latest skills for battling disinformation in the election.

She said the event also covered other burning topics, including media outlets’ sustainability in the digital era.

Globally, the World Press Freedom Day is observed on May 3 every year.

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